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Community Corner

Keys to Unlocking Your Past — Right at the Local Library

Shorewood-Troy Librarian Jennie Cisna Mills gives some tips on researching your family's past at the library.

My people aren’t from around here.

I grew up in Central Illinois. Most of my closest ancestors were born, lived, and were buried in Central Illinois.

My family is pretty easy to get a handle on when I want to do some genealogical research. They didn’t move around much until my parents’ generation.

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Some ancestors are a wee bit trickier to track down then mine, I know. Did you know that the library can help you with some basic genealogical assistance, or even local history research?

True, we probably can’t help you trace your family back to the 15th-century, but we do provide access to resources such as Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest. Those databases are well-known to genealogists, and they’ll help you get a start!

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Do you have a thorny genealogical issue or an in-depth local history question? You may want to stop in to see our library’s resident expert, Pat Boehler. She’s available to give you a helping hand from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday.

Also, the Shorewood-Troy Library does have a pretty good local history collection, so you are able to learn more about the past in your community. Pat’s the expert on it, but our reference librarians are also able to undig some history facts for you.

If you’re new to genealogy, we also have some helpful books that will start you off your search right. Come in and see us, or call us at 815-725-1715. Happy ancestor-hunting!

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